Attachment for gas-operated guns



Feb. 13, 1923. 1,445,583. s. G. GREEN.

ATTACHMENT FOR GAS OPERATED GUNS.

FILED MAH. IT. 1921 Patented lFeb. 13, 1923i.

UNETED STATES PATENT oFFlc'I-z.

SAMUEL G. GREEN, F THE UNITED STATES ARMY, ASSIGNOR T0 UNITED STATES O RDNANCE COMPANY, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT 0F COLUMBIA, A CORPORA- TION OF VIRGINIA.

ATTACHMENT FOR GAS-OPERATED GUNS.

Application ledMarch 17, 1921. Serial N'o. 452,980.

i To all whom t may concern: l

Be it known that I, SAMUEL G. GREEN, a ycaptain in the United States Army, at present stationed at Washington, in the District of Columbia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Attachments for Gas-Operated Guns, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in attachments for gas operated guns and has for its .objects to provide improved means for securing a muzzle block of reduced caliber against the muzzle end of a barrel to effect choke of the gas of discharge and thereby/cause automatic operation of the gun when firing blank ammunition and to provide improved means for securing an auxiliary barrel within a main barrel to permit the firing of subcaliber and shot ammunition.

In describing my invention reference will be had to the accompanying drawings which illustrate my improvements in the best form known to me at present, butv it will be understood that my invention is susceptible to modification and change without departing from its essential characteristics and by the exercise of only ordinary mechanical skill within its scope as defined in the appended claims.

In the drawings y Fig. 1 isa view partially in side elevation and partially in longitudinal section of the barrel of a gas operated gunand my improved attachment operativ associated therewith; f

Fig. 2, an end view of the structure shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3, a transverse section on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 4, a view similar to Fig. 1 showlng a slightly modified form .of my attachment.

I lReferring to the drawings in detail, 10

designates the main barrel of a gas operated gun and 11 an auxiliary barrel adapted to be inserted within the main barrel whereby subcaliber, blankcand shot ammunition 'may be red without injury to the main barrel.- An auxiliar barrelof course is not essential to permit tion in a gun, but it is nevertheless desirable not only for the protection itl affords the main barrel, but because its breech end may he disposed as shown in the drawings to ring of blank ammuni-v block out ball. ammunition and thereby render the gun safe against the accidental firing of ball cartridges when only blank or shot cartridges are intended to be fired.

The main barrel 10 is provided at its muzzle end with an annular exterior projecttion l2 providing a shoulder 13 and the auxiliary barrel carries a portion 14 at its muzzle end overlying the muzzle end of the main barrel, said overlyingportion 14 being formed either as an integral part of the auxiliary barrel, as shown in Fig. 1 or as a sleeve threaded or otherwise secured thereto, as shown` in Fig. 4.

In order to secure the auxiliary barrel, as

shown in Fig. 1 within the main barrel,

rotated whereby the latter is drawn rearwardly and the auxiliary barrel clamped in place.A rllhe casing is provided with a slot 18 to receive the sight usually carried at the muzzle' end of the main barrel and both the casing and sleeve nut rpreferably are provided with at surfaces shown 1n Figs. 2 and 3 to facilitate the engagement therewith of an implement such as a spanner wrench for holding and turning the same. Means such as the dowel pins shown at 19 may he provided to assure proper assembly of the plural piece nut, the latter being constructed in the manner shown to permit its engagement with barrels which are smaller intermediately than at their ends. The same clamping action as described in connection with the structure for securing the auxiliaryv barrel within vthe main barrel takes place in the structure shown in Fig. 4, but in the latter instance a sleeve threaded on the muzzle end of the auxiliary barrel and in itself provides a.

means of drawing'jthe auxiliary barrel forward so that an annular s oulder. at its breech endV is clamped against a simil-ar shoulder formed in the mainbarrel. n

With respect to the overlying portion 14 shown in Fig. 4 it will be observedthat a portion of. the same is disposed forwardly of the breech end of the auxiliary barrel and provided with an inwardly directed annular llange which is spaced from the,

muzzle end of the auxiliary barrel and acts in the nature of a buffer for the back pressure of gases trapped in the casing 15 to prevent such gases from fouling the threaded connection between the overlying portion or sleeve 14 and the auxiliary barrel.

In combination with the structure so far Vdescribed I have provided means in/ the nature 'of a muzzle plug 21 detachably associated with the casing 15 and having an axial channel of smaller caliber than the 'caliber of the gun, whether equipped or not equip ed with an auxiliary barrel, to effeet c oke of the gas of discharge to thereby cause automatic. operation of the n when firing blank ammunition. This p ug is shouldered as at 22 and the casing lo is shouldered as atf23, said shoulders being i arranged in abutting relation whereby rearward movement of the casing clamps the block against the muzzle end of the gun.

From the foregoing it will be observed that by slightly changing the proportion of the separate parts, without in anymanner departing from the essential characteristics of my invention the muzzle block may be used with the main barrel lwhether the auxiliary barr l is or is not associated therewith, and like -lse it is apparent that the auxiliary barrel may be used without the choke block, but in most instances it is desired to auxiliary barrels I intend to include any main barrel Whether 'equipped or not equipped with an auxiliary barrel.

When I use the expression gas operated gun in the specification and claims I desire it to be understood that such expression is intended to define eithera gun in which the breech mechanism is caused to .function by the direct action of the gas of explosion, such as the Benet-Mercie gun; or a gun in which the recoil vof any part or parts is effected by the explosion of discharge and suh recoil utilized to cause the breech mechanlsm to function asin the well known Browning machine gun.

I c1aim:-' f 1. In a gas operated gujn, the combination with a barrel, of a casing engaged over' the muzzle of the barrel, a muzzle plug within said casing having an axial channel of smaller caliber than the caliber of the b'arlrel,V and means connected with the casingand disposed entirely to the rear of the muzzle end of the barrel and coacting with the latter to draw the casing rearwardly on the barrel and thereby clamp the muzzle plug against the muzzle end of the barrel.'

yof the barrel, and Ymeans connected with the casing, and disposed entirely to the rear of said shoulder and coacting with the latter to draw the casing rearwardly on the barrel and thereby clamp the. muzzle plug against the muzzle end of the barrel.

3. In a gas operated gun, the combination with a barrel, of a casing engaged over themuzzle of the barrel, a muzzle plug within the casing. having an axial channel of smaller caliber than the caliber of the barrel, and a radially assembled, p lural piece, sleeve nut threaded to the casing and rotatable on and -coacting with the barrel to draw the casing rearwardly on the barrel and thereby'clamp the muzzle plug against the muzzle end o the barrel. v

4. In a gas operated gun,- the combination with a barrelhaving an exterior projecf tion providing a shoulder, of a casing enygaged over the muzzle end of the barrel, a muzzle plug within the casing having an axial channel of' smaller caliber than the caliber of the barrel, and a radially assembled, plural piece, sleeve nut threaded to thecasing and rotatable on the barrel and coacting with said shoulder to draw the cas'- ing rearwardly on the barrel and thereby clamp'the muzzle .plug against the muzzle end of theI barrel.

5.- In a gas operated gun, the combination of a main barrel, an auxiliary barrel within the main barrel carrying a portion at its muzzle overlying the muzzlel end of the main barrel, a casing engaged over the muzzle ends o f'both barrels, a muzzle plug within the casing having an-axial channel of smaller caliber than the caliber of the auxiliary barrel, and means connected'to vthe casing and coacting with one of said barrels to draw the casing rearwardly nd.

thereby clam/p the muzzle plug against the muzzle end of the auxiliary barrel; Y v

.6. In a gas operated gum-the combination' of a main barrel, an auxiliary barrel within the main barrel includin atubular member and a sleeve threaded on t e muzzle end of the member in overlying relation to the muzzle end of the main barrel, an inwardly directed iange on the forward end of the sleeve spaced from the muzzle end of the tubular member, a casing engaged over the muzzle ends of both barrels, a muzzle plug Within the casing having an axial channel of smaller caliber than the caliber of theauxiliary barrel, and means connected to the casing and coaeting With said main barrel to draw the casing rearwardly and thereby clamp the muzzle plug against said sleeve.

7 In a gas operated gunz the combination of a main barrel, an auxiliary barrel with in the main barrel carrying a portion at its muzzle end overlying the muzzle end of the main barrel, a casing engaged over the muzzle ends of both barrels having means engaging the muzzle and of the auxiliary barrel, and means having rotatable conneotion with the casing and ooacting with the main' barrel when rotated relatively to the casing to draw `the latter rearwardly and thereby clamp the overlying portion of the auxiliary barrel against the muzzle end of the 'ma-in barrel.

In testimony whereof I hereunto ax my signature.

SAMUEL G. GREEN. 

